He felt alone for now, not holding her hand anymore. He remembered this place, however.

When she used to grab him and they would walk for hours through these woods, slowly working their way into the forest.

This is where she looked at him with the strangest look he had ever seen and graced him with his first kiss.

Well, she was gone now, far away to where he can’t reach her, but he still wants her. He still wishes for her and talks to her at night.

He still holds her tight when she cries for him, even if he can’t hear her.

She’s an army brat, he has to remind himself, and she’ll never be able to love him again.

But he still feels her soul wrapping around him as he walks through these trees. These great pines nearly suffocating him as he traces his steps back.

He counts his steps as he walks, and pulls memories of her out of his pocket to keep him company.

So this is what it was like to love, to cherish. He keeps smiling as he loses his way again, further into the forest.